Mayor proposes renaming sports park after Reagan

MICHAEL BUCHANAN - Staff Writer

TEMECULA --- A popular sports park in the heart of Temecula maysoon bear the name of former President Ronald Reagan. Mayor MikeNaggar proposed renaming Rancho California Sports Park after thelate president during a City Council meeting Tuesday night. Thecity's Community Services Commission is expected to consider theidea next month before the council takes a final vote on the matterin August.

Naggar gave various reasons for renaming the park, including the
fact that Reagan bought 770 acres west of Temecula in the 1960s to
build a retirement ranch. Although he visited the property on
several occasions, Reagan eventually sold it and wound up settling
near Santa Barbara.

But his chief reason, Naggar said, was that Reagan cited thelocal park in a speech he gave to the United States Olympic
Committee in March 1983, during which he mentioned examples of gooddeeds done by Americans.

"There are similar stories right here in California, the folks
in a rather small town, Temecula," Reagan said, according to a
transcript of the speech. "They got together and built themselves a
sports park, held fund-raising barbecues and dinners. And those
that didn't have money volunteered the time and energy. And now the
young people of that community have baseball diamonds for Little
League and other sports events, just due to what's traditional
Americanism."

Reagan came into office as Naggar was graduating from high
school, and Naggar said he felt Reagan taught him "how to be a good
American."

"It was the things he said, the things he exhorted us to do and
the grace in which he did things," Naggar said.

Other area cities have Reagan tributes. The Lake Elsinore
Unified School District will soon open Ronald Reagan Elementary
School. Murrieta has a street called Reagan Way.

The idea of honoring Reagan in Temecula stoked local
Republicans. Ron Sullivan, president of the Lincoln Club of
Southwest County, said putting Reagan's name on a sports park is a
fitting tribute.

"He was always an optimist and looking to the future," Sullivan
said. "Since the children are the future, it makes sense."

Another club member, Darrell Connerton, said that because the
sports park was built and paid for by residents, "It makes sense
that it's the citizens that honor him." Connerton is also a member
of the city's Traffic/Public Safety Commission.

Some local Democrats said they would not protest the move given
the area's strong conservative base, although they were not crazy
about the idea.

"These people only want to look at the good things Reagan did,"
said David Brostrom, who ran unsuccessfully for the state Assembly
in 2002. "You should talk to the folks on skid row who lost their
jobs because of the dictates of this man. Talk to the unions."

David Lander, a member of the Temecula-Murrieta Democratic Club,
said he doesn't have a strong opinion on the proposal.

"It's a very Republican community and Reagan is very popular
around here," Lander said. "There are more important issues to me
than what a park is named."